Florida has the highest number of plastic surgery procedures per person in the United States. Tampa has become a significant player in this field, now ranking among the top ten cities nationwide for plastic surgery. The beauty business in Tampa is really booming!
Among Florida’s cities, Miami has long been the leader in plastic surgery. But Tampa is quickly catching up and has secured a spot in the top ten, and it continues to grow. In 2018, there were 72 plastic surgeons in Tampa who were members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. By today, that number has increased to 93. That’s an increase of more than 25% over the past seven years.
Brooke Bauman, a 28-year-old woman from Tampa, is quite popular on social media. She has nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, where she shows off her active lifestyle. She’s also open about having received injectables and getting a breast augmentation. She said this decision makes her feel more feminine.
Bauman explained, “I always had a hard time with my body shape. I just wanted to have some curves. I didn’t have wide hips or a curvy figure when I was growing up.” She also said that moving to Tampa a few years ago influenced her decision. “When you’re in Tampa, you wear bikinis more often and show more skin. It made me more aware of my insecurities. Everyone here focuses on fitness and wants to be the best version of themselves all year round,” she added.
Moreover, Bauman feels that plastic surgery augmentations are widely accepted and considered normal in Tampa. She said, “It’s kind of funny, but it’s like the ‘Jeep wave.’ There’s this recognition among people who have had augmentations. It’s a sign of respect.”
According to renowned Tampa plastic surgeon Dr. Demetri Arnaoutakis, the plastic surgery industry in Tampa is doing really well. He said, “Miami has always been at the forefront of plastic surgery, but Tampa has come a long way and caught up a lot.” Dr. Arnaoutakis used to divide his time between offices in Los Angeles and Tampa. But now, he works full-time in Tampa. “We’ve been so busy here that I can’t travel back and forth anymore,” he said.
Dr. Arnaoutakis said that business started to increase significantly in 2020. He explained, “I think it began during the COVID pandemic. Florida had policies that were more favorable to businesses. In the plastic surgery industry, there was something called the ‘Zoom effect.’ People were on Zoom calls and noticed things like thinning hair at the front or a bothersome neck.”
The growth of the plastic surgery business in Tampa is also shown by the increasing interest on social media. Dr. Arnaoutakis has over 50,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts before-and-after photos of his patients’ transformations. He said, “We get about four to five new consultation requests just from Instagram every day.”
The industry is also reaching different groups of clients. Dr. Arnaoutakis said, “There’s a trend of younger patients getting plastic surgery because the procedures look more natural and last longer. You might be surprised, but about 30% of our facelift patients are men.”
While Dr. Arnaoutakis uses social media to educate people, he knows that the “online obsession” with plastic surgery transformations can have negative effects. He said, “There are so many photos and videos online. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, especially for younger patients who might get influenced by it.”
However, Brooke Bauman believes that being transparent, both online and in real life, can help reduce the pressure to be perfect. She said, “Do I sometimes miss my small chest? Yes. But it’s all about making your own decision. You can be accepted no matter what you look like. If you choose to get plastic surgery, that’s okay too.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of positions for skin care specialists will increase by 10% in the next ten years. At the same time, the number of positions for plastic surgeons is expected to grow by 4%.
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